Woman who helped her son run from court gets probation

A woman who helped her son flee from Franklin County Juvenile Court in December pleaded guilty yesterday to one felony count of obstructing justice.

A woman who helped her son flee from Franklin County Juvenile Court in December pleaded guilty yesterday to one felony count of obstructing justice.

Rebecca Gardner, 40, of Falcon Bridge Drive on the Far East Side, was sentenced to two years on probation for blocking a courtroom door as her 17-year-old son, Shakil Gardner, fled.

Shakil Gardner had been in court on a delinquency charge of burglary. He later turned himself in and was sent to the Ohio Department of Youth Services for a year.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Beverly Y. Pfeiffer suspended one probation year for Rebecca Gardner if she performs 20 hours of community service, completes an anger-management class and gets a job after finishing school.